Birmingham Real Estate Lawyers

Real Estate Law in Alabama

Real estate law in Birmingham regulates almost everything involved in the sale and use of land.

The law controlling real estate in Birmingham can get pretty complicated, especially when things such as mortgages, disputes about construction defects, and conflicts over title are involved.

Therefore, it's a good idea to learn some of the basics of Birmingham's real estate laws.

Having at least some knowledge of real estate law will be to your advantage in basically any real estate transaction. Knowing the law can give you a bargaining advantage and prevent you from being saddled with obligations that you don't have to assume.

Common Real Estate Law Issues in Birmingham

Financing: The majority of people in Birmingham can't afford to make a major real estate purchase by paying the full purchase price up front. Most persons and small businesses, therefore, use a mortgage to make real estate purchases. A mortgage is a loan authorized for the purpose of buying a piece of property, with the bank obtaining a security interest in that property until the loan and interest are paid off.

Zoning: Zoning regulations control what types of structures are allowed on various parcels, based on their location in a municipality. For instance, some areas in a city might be zoned only for residential use. Another area might permit industrial use. These rules are meant to keep property values up, and promote harmony among neighbors by preventing conflicts.

Duty to Disclose: sellers of real estate, particularly houses and other residential property, are legally bound to tell the buyer about any defects in the property that the seller knows about, and that the buyer couldn't easily discover on his own (mold or termite problems are prevalent examples). If the seller fails to make such disclosures, he or she could be liable for any harm the defect causes to the buyer, as well as the cost of repairing it. If the seller intentionally conceals or lies about the defect, he or she might also face punitive damages.

Implied Warranties: Every lease of a residential unit in Birmingham carries with it an implicit promise by the owner that the unit will meet some basic minimum requirements for human habitability. There are many factors that go into deciding if a unit is "habitable," but there are a few essentials, and they include running water, heat, electricity, and adequate shelter from the elements.

Real Estate Attorneys in the Largest AL Cities

Life in Birmingham

As Alabama's biggest city with over 225,000 people, Birmingham is also the county seat for Jefferson County. The greater metropolitan area of Birmingham is estimated to have a population exceeding 1.25 million.

Founded in 1871, Birmingham has a diversified economy, with an original base of manufacturing other businesses and industries such as banking, transportation, telecommunications, power transmission, education, medical care, and insurance have all risen in importance. Coal mining remains a large business and the trucking industry has grown with the advent of the interstate highway system.

Birmingham, AL is an excellent place for those in the legal profession, with prestigious law schools such as the Birmingham School of Law, Cumberland School of Law and the University of Alabama School of Law located there. The telephone directory lists over 3800 Birmingham lawyers.